Avanthika filed her nails while Devasena paced up and down the room. Avanthika though kept an eye on her movement.
" What's wrong Deva? "

" What? Nothing. Nothing's wrong. "
Devasena settled herself on the couch.

" Fine. But tell me, why do you think I could murder you even!? "

Devasena felt a bang on her head. She had escaped to the kitchenette back then after such a bad tongue slip. But Avanthika had planned to catch her later. What would she say now? Who in general would talk of being murdered and sorts all of a sudden?

Devasena faked a smile.
" I was kidding Avanti! "

" Good. I hoped so. And what were you doing at Ujjain before I left? "

" Why are you interrogating me? " , Devasena suddenly felt helpless enough to play defense.

" I'm not interrogating. Just only asking. Anyways, you don't have to answer. "
Avanthika got upto to fetch a nail polish.

Devasena kept sitting. All she could think of now was how the last night had been. And how low she had fallen in the eyes of Amarendra.

" You are deeply engrossed in something you won't share. How's Amarendra though? "
Avanthika casually asked while painting the nails.

Devasena didn't look at her, rather lay on the couch. " if only I knew how he actually is. "

" Now what was that? " Avanthika grinned. " When are you both officially dating each other? "

Devasena now glared at Avanthika .
" Avanti please! You are not in the situation I am. Please don't talk so lame about events in my life right now. He's not another random guy I will date! "

Avanthika kept grinning. " Really? I won't understand your situation? Maybe. We have our own struggles. But I don't see any harm in dating him. You will have an extra benefit of knowing more about your past. Does he say things? "

" No. He's only waiting for me to unravel. And I'm no longer interested. In fact I've decided to cut every connection with him now. Because talking to him is giving me terrible incongruous visions. "

" Like? "

" like someone having your face murdering me. "

A silence engulfed the apartment for a long time, as both pairs of eyes were deeply set into each others, trying to read them.

Avanthika spoke.
" what exactly did you see? "

" leave it. It's just a bad game of the brain. I don't want such weirdness crop up between us. "

Devasena got up to change to her night dress.

Avanthika kept sitting. Still.

The land phone began ringing. Devasena came and picked it up.

" Hello ma'am, good evening! Ella from the White Club library here. Am I speaking to Miss Devasena Sehgal? "

" Yes you are. "

" Have you got the book ma'am? "

" Not really. It's available nowhere. "

" informing you ma'am, we recently got another copy of the book. Please come and collect it from the library tomorrow. And an earnest request, please come alone. And don't talk about it to your friend, please. It's sad that we can't do much about it, but can help you with the book at least. Thank you. "

Ella dropped the call leaving a jaw dropped Devasena this side. She slowly placed back the phone on the cradle and turned to Avanthika, who was now deeply engrossed in something else.

Devasena said nothing and went to arrange for dinner. Something was not much okay.

At dinner, Avanthika too seemed quite out of place.
" How was the conference? "
" Hmm? Yeah, good. Pass on the curry please. "
All of a sudden Avanthika had grown formal and reserved.
Devasena felt she needed to compensate.
" Avanti, if you are worried about that vision concerning you, I would rather say please don't be! Even I'm not! Just because you have a name that connects to someone in my past life, if that be it, my brain cooked up a nightmare, that's it. "

Avanthika kept on eating silently.

" I don't even believe such things in the first place. Just that it's Amarendra and certain visions concerning him, and also my face that resembles Devasena..... "

" I had told you not to run after him. "

"I won't. I promise I won't any longer. Just that you too don't start taking these things seriously. "

" This thing is serious damn it!! "
Avanthika suddenly burst out, terrifying Devasena. And controlled the next moment.

" Listen Devasena. That man and his house, will create a rift between us. Past lives cannot affect present ones I tell you. "

" Calm down Avanti! That was just a dream, a vision. "

" But why me as a murderer in your vision? Why not Joshita or any one else? "
Devasena knew of the anxiety phases of Avanthika. She just kept calm.

" Relax Avanti. I know it's disturbing. Just wipe that out from your brain. Please. I did too. "

" You didn't. Otherwise you wouldn't have told me that. "

" Avanthika! "

" I'm sorry Deva. "
Avanthika suddenly as if realised that she was going overboard.
" You know how it is with me. "

" what I say is, visit a doctor than gobbling those sedatives everyday. I wonder what renders you sleepless. You have such a smooth life. "

Avanthika smirked, picking up her plate went to the washroom.

"More than me, it's you who need a boyfriend. I wonder even, what kind of boy you are looking for as well. But someone can obviously relieve your momentary stressful phases. "

Devasena picked up the vessels and went to the kitchenette. She was relieved to hear Avanthika giggle from the washroom.

After dinner, they settled down, with a laptop and a painting brush respectively.
" I wonder when it's going to stop raining. " , Avanthika said.

"Same here. Have to attend classes tomorrow at any cost. "
Devasena suddenly drifted off to the odd phone call from Ella. Why did she tell not to inform Avanthika?

Devasena saw Avanthika check her phone time and again.
"Already got a boyfriend in Mumbai? "

Avanthika blushed and grinned.

" oh my god, you just blushed. Is it? "

" Shut up man! I won't have a boyfriend ever. "

" But you are straight."

" ophh! Just shut up Deva! I have my reasons. "

" okay so I want to know your reasons as well. "

" I'm typically not interested to tell you my reasons. "

Devasena nagged for some more time and then gave up with both laughing.

" I'll do some charcoal work after a year tonight. "
Devasena went up to fetch the charcoal from a trunk kept high up above the almirah, while Avanthika sat deeply engrossed in the laptop.

" What is this? "

Avanthika's concentration broke when Devasena shouted suddenly. She looked at her, and went blank.

Devasena had brought down the never-touched-by-her trunk, and while searching for something else, had just surfaced what she should never have.

Avanthika almost jumped off the bed and snatched the thing from her hand.

" Nothing very significant. Just a ring. "

Devasena's face had a tinge of red.
" Just a ring? Then why is it in a trunk kept above the almirah? "

" It's...an antique...cannot, rather should not be left open.... "

Avanthika stammered, cursing herself for not being more careful.

Devasena stared at her for sometime.
Then said, " You're hiding something Avanthika. I know that symbol on the ring. It belongs to Maahishmathi, the kingdom my soul belonged to. "

Devasena was herself surprised at the confidence with which she claimed her soul, while her eyes hunted down the face before that was growing whiter than it already was.